Pedometer-Based Walking Intervention on Physical Activity Among Hemodialysis Patients

Effects of Gamified Versus Traditional Pedometer-Based Walking Intervention on Physical Activity, Fatigue and Sleep Quality Among Hemodialysis Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Patients undergoing HD are mostly physically inactive and have reduced functional capacities compared to healthy individuals which contributes to a decreased quality of life and consequently increases the risk of mortality

Physical activity has been shown to have various positive effects on HD patients . Some of the important benefits linked to exercise include an improvement in physical fitness , aerobic capacity , dialysis adequacy (measured as urea Kt/V) , quality of life , and reduced depressive symptoms .Walking can be considered as the most natural form of PA as it is easily performed by everyone except for the seriously disabled or very frail. Smartphones and their embedded computer technologies are increasingly being used to promote physical activity. Gamification presents itself as a promising approach to overcome a loss of interest, increase user engagement , raise the quality of health behaviors , and motivate users to use mHealth apps for a sustained period

Inclusion Criteria:

• Inclusion criteria were 18 to less than 60 years of age,
• under- going conventional hemodialysis three times a week,
• hemodialysis period of three month or more,
• having smartphone aneroid access (second group),
• Available for telephone follow-up ,
• ability to read and write ,
• and being ambulatory,
• Patients using a cane or other assistive device will be eligible and Patients provided informed consent to participate.

Exclusion Criteria:

The study will exclude patients with

• unstable angina,
• those with lower-limb amputation
• and those using wheelchairs.